by Nikki Ash
“I don’t know. I feel like it’s something I’m supposed to do.” She shrugs. Bella has always been confident in herself, but being a mom is new to her and she questions herself a lot. “And I need to find out about daycare for Micaela. I thought maybe other moms would have ideas or know of good places.”
“Why would you put her in daycare?” Liz asks.
“I go back to school in less than three months.”
“You have an entire group of people who can help you. You don’t need a mom’s group to help you figure out childcare for your daughter.”
“You guys are all done raising babies. And I don’t think any of us were even in daycare.” She says the last word softly, like she’s embarrassed her baby would have to be put in daycare. Doesn’t she realize what an amazing mom she is? To even think about stuff like that, to make sure her baby is taken care of.
“Tristan was,” Ashley points out. “There are a lot of nice childcare places in the area.”
“She’s not going to daycare, Belles. So, it doesn’t even matter.” I stab a piece of chicken with my fork and throw it into my mouth. I’ve got nothing against daycare. Shit, for kids with parents like my biological mom, it’s probably better than their home life, but there’s no reason for our daughter to go to daycare. Not when I have fought for the last eight years and saved my money, and have the means to be home with her.
“I want to finish school, Marco. And I want to fight.”
“And you will do both, if that’s what you want. I’ll be staying home with her.”
“Because you’re scared to fight! I’m not letting you give up because you have linked every bad thing that’s happened to you fighting.”
“Maybe we should all go inside and give them space to talk.” My mom stands.
“No need.” I stop her. “You all should hear this because in some way you all have been affected. Kaden and Ashley, my drug addiction is why your son was going to raise my daughter. You thought you were going to be grandparents and then she was ripped from you.”
Ashley gives me a small smile. “We’re just glad it all worked out. We aren’t going to judge you.”
“Maybe not, but I’m going to judge me. I pushed away my parents, Bella, almost didn’t get to raise my daughter. Logan is in a goddamned coma from us celebrating.”
“Marco.” Bella puts her hand on my arm to comfort me.
“No, it’s the truth. I’m well aware the fighting isn’t to blame, but I was injured in that accident and when I thought I lost fighting for good, I lost it. I turned into someone I never want to be again. I’m going to fight to defend my title, but then I’m retiring. Fighting was my life for a long time, but it’s not where I see my future anymore. My future is making sure I’m healthy and clean for my family.”
“Who’s training you?” Kaden asks.
“I haven’t made it that far yet. But I committed to the fight and it’s going to be a huge event. The money they’re willing to pay me if I win is too much to pass up. I’m contracted for one more fight so I’m going to give it to them. Plus, it will help gain viewers for Bella’s first fight.”
“I’ll train you.”
I glance at Kaden, shocked as shit. “After what I did to your son? Why?”
“Like Ashley said, we aren’t going to judge you. Tristan knew he wasn’t the dad. He made his choices and he’s dealing with the fallout the best he can. With Mason moving to California to live with Tristan, I have time. If you’re only going to fight one last time, you need to make that shit count.”
“All right. Thanks.”
“And Marco and I talked,” Cooper adds. “After the fight is over, he’s going to start taking on some fighters himself. Helping at the gym. We’ll figure out a schedule around your class schedule.”
“And I have already hired someone to start learning the ropes of the accounting department at the rec center so I can be home more with Cooper and the kids. She just graduated with her accounting degree, and so far, she seems to be a good fit. I would love to watch my granddaughter,” Liz says.
“Hell yeah, and I’m home with Ryan. We would love to hang out with Micaela,” Bentley adds.
“And I can watch her if you need me to,” Bella’s brother points out.
Liz gets up and walks over to Bella. “There is nothing wrong with daycare, Bella, and if you had to put Micaela in daycare, we would find one that works for you and Micaela, and it wouldn’t make you any less of a mother. But when you have family that can help, that’s what we do. We help each other. When it was just you and me, we had Kayla. But had she not have been there, you would have been in daycare because I would have done whatever I needed to make sure you were taken care of and fed.”
Bella’s eyes fill with tears. “Thank you, guys. I don’t even know what to say. I love you all so much.”
“Good! Now let’s eat!” Bentley shoves some food into his mouth to make his point.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Bella
With both of us training for the upcoming fight, Marco and I have been busy. I’m still sleeping in my own bed and we haven’t been intimate anymore, either. According to Marco, the best way of taking things slow and proving himself is to also take a step back from being sexual. I brought up the subject once and he said he wants to have my trust, and for me to be sure of us before we’re together again, sexually.
That doesn’t mean we never kiss or touch. We do. We hang out on the couch almost every night talking about our day. We’re finding our friendship again and it feels good, like we’ve started fresh. It’s how I imagine a new relationship would go. Slowly learning about each other intimately before taking the next step, sexually. I know it sounds stupid because we’ve already been together, but I appreciate Marco recognizing we need to connect and get to know each other on a deeper level. It’s easy to have sex with someone. It’s a lot harder to connect with them on an emotional level. I’m glad we have taken a step back and are trying to do this the right way.
I’ve signed up for my fall classes, which start in a couple months. After my fall semester, I’ll have two more semesters of classes left and then will be able to graduate.
I’m on the couch with my laptop, uploading some new pictures of Micaela when Marco sticks his phone in my face. “Let’s go away.”
I look at the photo on his phone. “Isn’t that in California? Like as in where we just moved from?”
“Yes, but I want you to meet my cousin, Mathias, and I would also like to visit Logan. You never got to meet him. We can fly out for the weekend, just the two of us.”
“You mean leave Micaela?” I gasp.
“Belles, she’s five months old. Your parents can watch her for the weekend. We’ll have fun. I’ll rent us a hotel near Mathias.”
The thought of being a plane ride away from my daughter is terrifying, but it would be nice to get away with Marco, maybe discuss taking the next step with us. Marco has been proving himself and I’m ready to go all in.
“Okay.”
Four days later we’re on a plane to San Diego. Being this close to Tristan and not seeing him makes me sad, but like he asked of me, I have given him his space.
“What’s wrong, Belles?” Marco takes my hand in his, entwining our fingers. He brings our joined hands up to his lips and gives my knuckles soft kisses.
I almost consider lying to him, but instead go with the truth. “I wish Tristan were talking to me. The idea of going to San Diego and not seeing him makes me sad.”
Marco lifts the seat divider and pulls me into his side, placing a chaste kiss on my cheek. “He just needs time. If your friendship is as strong as I think it is, he’ll come around.”
“I’m going to need you to keep me busy this weekend.” When I replay how that sounded, my cheeks warm up.
“Oh, baby,” Marco murmurs into my ear, placing a kiss to my earlobe then biting down and lightly pulling. “I will gladly keep you busy all weekend.”
We get to the hotel and
it’s late, so Marco says we’ll visit Mathias and Logan tomorrow. We’re on the first floor with an ocean view and as soon as we drop our luggage down, I open the sliding glass door to feel the breeze.
“Let’s go sit on the beach,” Marco suggests.
Grabbing a blanket from the linen closet and changing into comfortable clothes, we make our way down and find a secluded spot to sit. The sun has already gone down and the beach around us looks abandoned. Marco drops himself on top of the blanket and pulls me down after. My back is pressed against his front and I’m snuggled between his muscular thighs.
Dusting my hair to the side, Marco kisses down my neck then places several kisses on my shoulder. “I never imagined in a million years we would get to a place in our lives where I could take you away and sit on the beach, kissing you, and it be okay. It’s like a dream come true.”
“Who said it’s okay? Did I give you permission to touch my body?” Marco stiffens, but when I giggle, he relaxes.
“Don’t fuck with me, Belles. This body is mine,” he growls into my ear, nipping at my lobe. Turning quickly, before he can react, I pounce on him, his back hitting the ground, my legs falling on either side of him. I grab a hold of his hands with both of mine and pin them down like I would do in the octagon.
“Yours, huh?” Taking both of his huge hands into one of mine, I use my other hand to pull up his shirt, exposing his perfectly chiseled abs. Leaning forward, I place open-mouthed kisses down Marco’s torso. My arms are too short, so my hand slips from his as I work downward, but he leaves his hands over his head like I’m still holding him down.
“Does that mean your body is mine?” I kiss each one of the indentations of his abs until I get to the top of his board shorts.
“I am definitely yours.”
“To do with as I please?” I look up through my lashes to see Marco giving me a smoldering look that just about melts my panties off.
“Whatever the fuck you want to do with.”
I look around me to make sure we’re alone before I pull Marco’s already hardened length out of his shorts. Putting my mouth over the mushroom head, I swirl my tongue around tasting the salty precum. He groans and bucks slightly. His hands, no longer pretending to be held above his head, come down as he grips my hair like it’s his lifeline.
Starting at the bottom, I glide my wet tongue slowly up his shaft until I get back to the head, licking the droplets of cum he keeps releasing. My eyes connect with his, and keeping my eyes on his, I tilt my head slightly, taking him all the way down my throat. Marco loses the stare down as his eyes roll back and he lets out a guttural moan that has my clit throbbing in anticipation.
I close my eyes and start to work his dick over, giving his dick the attention one would give to their favorite lollipop. Suddenly Marco’s grip gets tighter on my mane as he pulls my mouth off him, my lips making a popping sound. I can’t help but pout, which causes him to chuckle.
“Get your ass over here, Belles.” I’m confused at first as to what he wants, but Marco sits up and, grabbing my thighs, pulls my bottom half toward him showing me what he wants. He pulls my cotton shorts and panties down then places each of my legs on either side of his head. He spreads my pussy open and his mouth is on my clit in two-point-five seconds. I moan in pleasure as his teeth bite down on my clit, his tongue swiping immediately after to soothe it. Still hovering over Marco’s dick only in the opposite direction, I go back to sucking him off, only this time with a renewed purpose.
Unable to see what Marco is doing to me, but being able to feel it, is the biggest turn on. I can feel his hands grabbing my ass, feel his tongue all over my folds and clit. I suck, and he licks. I slurp, and he bites. I take his dick all the way down my throat and he… slips a finger into my ass! I gasp at the intrusion, but when his tongue massages harder, I just about lose it.
I continue to suck and pump, as Marco licks me and fingers my ass. It feels amazing, better than I would have thought. I never want this to end. My pussy is throbbing and my clit is pulsing and my ass—fuck! It just all feels so good and I know, as much as I want this feeling to last forever, I’m going to explode. I want so badly to get Marco off first, but as my climax edges closer, I know it’s not going to happen.
His tongue presses down on my clit one last time as his finger presses down harder. Heat spreads through my body as my orgasm rips through me, my entire body shaking. I can barely stay up on my knees, my legs weak from the pleasure.
Marco lifts me off him, my limp and relaxed body rolling onto my back and then he’s on top of me—his hands palms down on either side of my head. My hands grip his biceps as he enters me with such force that if I wasn’t holding onto him, I would be slammed into tomorrow. My legs wrap around his back as he pumps into me almost violently, nearly taking my breath away. I gasp, but before I can make any noise, his mouth crashes onto mine, his tongue entering, the tastes of me mixed with him assaulting my senses.
His thrusts become more frantic and he goes deeper into me, his shaft rubbing against my clit until I’m wound so tight my body has no choice but to let go. And it does, around Marco’s dick. My orgasm sets off a domino effect and seconds later, Marco’s pulsing inside of me as he fills me up completely.
He thrusts a few more times before coming to a complete standstill, his dick still throbbing inside of me, his mouth still pressed up against mine.
Then he pushes up a little so our mouths are close but not touching. “I know I promised to take things slow, Belles. But you have to know, you’re mine, baby. Mine.” He growls out the last word then kisses me hard one last time before pulling out of me.
“And you’re mine,” I reply, earning me a huge smile.
He hands me his shirt so I can clean up, then hands me my shorts and panties to put them back on. We both stand, and he shakes out the blanket. Then, with his hand on my lower back, guides us back up to the hotel room, where we spend the rest of the night proving our statements to be true.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Marco
My eyes open and the first thing I notice is it’s still dark out. Thanks to having an infant, my body is used to getting up at the crack of dawn. Thinking about Micaela has me missing the hell out of that little girl. Maybe we should have brought her with us. What if she forgets I’m her dad? I make a mental note to FaceTime Liz later so she can show Micaela my face.
The next thing I notice is I’m freezing my ass off. It’s got to be like sixty-five degrees in here, which is the new norm since Bella and I moved in together. She seems to think she’s meant to live in Alaska. When I mentioned it to her dad, he laughed his ass off and told me to have fun paying that electric bill. Apparently, he had to threaten her life when she was growing up to stop her from touching the thermostat.
Normally it would be fine. After our first night of living together, I went to the home goods store and purchased the thickest down comforter they sell. Micaela will probably wear winter clothes indoors until she’s ten. The problem is, right now I’m lying in bed with no covers and I’m pretty sure my dick has shriveled up inside of me.
I roll over to see where the fuck my covers went and spot the culprit. Bella. Fucking woman is a goddamn blanket stealer. She is curled up facing away from me and has all the sheets wrapped around her. She looks comfy as hell. I bet her ass isn’t freezing. As much as I want to be annoyed, having her next to me in bed is worth my balls shriveling up into little corn nuts. I hope she knows when we get home, all her shit is being moved to the master bedroom. Originally, I recommended she take the master and I would take the second bedroom, but she insisted she needed to be in the room directly next to Micaela. There’s no way I’m going another night without Bella in bed with me.
Reaching over her, I attempt to grab a little bit of the blanket to cover my lower half at least, when she growls. Fucking growls! And wraps herself up tighter in the blankets. Fucking woman. I grab a hold of the edge and tug harder. The blanket comes undone and Bells rolls with it try
ing to steal back the sheets.
Before she can grab them, I grab her by her hips and pull her to me. Her head lands on my chest and her legs come up around mine. I pull the blanket up and over the both of us. The angle I’m laying at, I’m able to see her portrait. Her eyes are softly closed, her eyelashes thick against the tops of her cheeks. Her cute button nose, just like our daughter’s, is scrunched up and the smallest smattering of freckles cover her nose. She’s so fucking beautiful.
Looking at her like this, one would never know she could probably kick most grown men’s asses. The thought makes me chuckle. She is so tiny, yet strong. She has such a big heart, yet is so stubborn. She knows what she wants and she goes for it. I can’t wait to watch her fight in a few months. Win or lose, this fight is huge for her. She’s been working her entire life to be in that octagon. I vaguely remember when she told me she was pregnant, I threw it in her face that her UFC career would be over before it even started. But I shouldn’t have doubted Bella. She can and will accomplish anything she sets her mind to. My woman is the ultimate badass.
Her legs wrap harder around my thighs, and her warm cunt rubs up against my side. With my cock no longer in hiding from the cold, he stands at attention like he knows she’s near. I want so badly to wake her up for some morning sex, but she looks too peaceful asleep, and she deserves to sleep in. It’s not often she gets a morning without having to wake up with Micaela or to train.
Carefully, so as not to wake her up, I grab my cell phone from the nightstand and shoot off two text messages. One to Mathias to see what his plans for today are. I also want to bring Bella by the hospital to visit Logan, but after that we have roughly twenty-four hours to have a little bit of fun. The other text goes to her mom to check on Micaela.